New Zealand - White Island volcano erupts, 19 dead, many injuries from cruise excursion, 9 Dec 2019 *charges*

[IceIce9]

Active volcano erupts on White Island during cruise ship excursion. Five dead, others missing.


'No signs of life' on White Island after huge volcanic eruption - follow the latest updates

 

[IceIce9]

Whakaari / White Island eruption: more deaths expected

“Earlier, less than 15 minutes after the eruption, staff from the White Island Tour operators rushed to the island in a small dingy acting as first responders to the emergency. They were pictured taking took tourists off the island about 2.25pm.

However, questions will be asked over why tours were allowed to continue as the island's volcanic activity increased in recent weeks, and whether current civil defence arrangements may need to be revised.”

 

[JerseyGirl]

Several dozen visitors, including some from a Royal Caribbean cruise ship, were on or near White Island when it erupted at 2:11 p.m. local time, releasing thick clouds of ash about 12,000 feet into the air. Some 18 people suffered serious burn injuries and were rescued.

Police do not believe there are any survivors among the missing, following what scientists called a “throat-clearing kind of eruption.”

“No signs of life have been seen at any point,” New Zealand Police said in a statement.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nati...whakaari-eruption-new-zealand-jacinda-ardern/

 

[CoverMeCagney]

Approx 5 dead and 27 missing

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Five people killed, others missing in New Zealand volcano eruption

"It just looked like what you see of a nuclear bomb going off," a local fisherman said.

 

[IceIce9]

About 50 people, New Zealanders as well as foreign tourists, were feared to have been nearby and several were seen near the rim of the crater minutes before the eruption.

No survivors on New Zealand island after volcano suddenly erupts, police say

 

[Betty P]

No survivors on New Zealand island after volcano suddenly erupts, police say

Oh, my. Fifty people dead. One of the photos of the island after the eruption showed a wrecked helicopter. I suppose one was there with a group of tourists, it looked like it was sitting right at the rim of the crater.

 

[JerseyGirl]

The eruption took place with little warning Monday afternoon local time while dozens of tourists from cruise ship Ovation of the Seas were touring the volcano.

Shocking footage from tourists on nearby boats were posted on social media, which showed giant plumes of thick black smoke rising from the site.

New Zealand volcano eruption leaves five dead, others missing in White Island - CNN

Those dead were from a group of 23 people who had been evacuated shortly after the eruption -- all of whom suffered some degree of injury. Earlier police said at least 10 people were missing and believed to still be ashore.

Both New Zealanders and overseas tourists are believed to be involved; a number were from the Ovation of the Seas cruise ship, which is owned by Royal Caribbean Cruise Line.

 

[IceIce9]

CHILLING LAST PHOTO

A scientific monitoring camera appeared to capture a group of tourists walking through the volcano’s crater at 2.10pm – just one minute before the eruption.

The camera – which takes a new still image every ten minutes – did not take another clear shot, and is believed to have been buried in rubble from the blast.

5 dead & '3 Brits among 27 missing' in NZ volcano as cops expect no survivors

 

[Gardenista]

Stunned shock aboard cruise ship after New Zealand volcano eruption

 

[SouthAussie]

Jacinta Ardern (NZ prime minister) was just on our morning TV giving a presser. She says that the injured include tourists from Australia, New Zealand, USA, China, Malaysia, and UK.

33 remain in hospital with severe burns (over 80-90% of their bodies and airways), 3 have been released.
8 missing, 5 deceased.

Our own prime minister, Scott Morrison, says that Aussies need to prepare for the worst - I think meaning that Aussies are missing, deceased, and/or expected to succumb to their injuries.

There were 2 tourist groups on the island. The group further from the crater was able to be evacuated. The group closer to the crater could not be reached by helicopter.

Drones are seeing no signs of life on the island.
No-one is allowed on the island. 8 kilometre exclusion zone around the island, with only the navy allowed inside that zone and are surveying with their drones.

 

[SouthAussie]

24 Aussies involved - 13 hospitalised, 11 unaccounted for among the missing and deceased.

Of the 11 unaccounted for - 3 are feared to be among the deceased .... which would mean the 8 still missing are all Aussies.

From Scott Morrison, our prime minister, in a presser right now. He is asking that no media report on the specific Aussie victims - families need to be notified and need great empathy and assistance.

 

[they'll get you]

A Queensland mother on board the cruise ship claimed passengers were not warned of "how really dangerous" it was to visit the volcano.
Lisa Lou wrote on Facebook that she was "stranded" on the cruise liner while it was docked off White Island
"I'm mad because these poor people booked the shore excursion… nowhere does it say how really dangerous this shore excursion is," she said.
"I'm angry that the tour still went ahead even though the risk level was at the highest it could get and I'm angry that there are fellow Royal Caribbean cruisers who's family won't be coming back on board
NZ volcano witnesses describe horror of seeing huge eruption

 

[SouthAussie]

A Queensland mother on board the cruise ship claimed passengers were not warned of "how really dangerous" it was to visit the volcano.
Lisa Lou wrote on Facebook that she was "stranded" on the cruise liner while it was docked off White Island
"I'm mad because these poor people booked the shore excursion… nowhere does it say how really dangerous this shore excursion is," she said.
"I'm angry that the tour still went ahead even though the risk level was at the highest it could get and I'm angry that there are fellow Royal Caribbean cruisers who's family won't be coming back on board
NZ volcano witnesses describe horror of seeing huge eruption

And yet they are saying that the tourists were all told that the volcano was at a Level 2 risk ... which is not the highest risk, though still pretty high.
Which is likely why so (relatively) few chose to visit the island.

I notice that despite our PM asking media to not publish specific info, that pics are being shown on TV of a young Aussie newlywed couple and a couple from Sydney and their grown children. Only saying that they were 'on the cruise', not if they are victims.

I also note the videos on TV of the cruise line ushering all the watching (from the ship) tourists inside the ship. "Get inside now! Get inside now!"

My DD and SIL did one of the very first cruises on the brand new Ovation of the Seas a couple of years ago - around the South Island and fjords. They said that it is a beautiful ship and all of the staff were absolutely fabulous. Their dining attendant even taking a piece of bread out of my SIL's hands and saying "No, no Mr X (SILs first name), nuts in that bread". Obviously my SIL has a nut allergy, and they were staying on top of it - despite my SIL being usually very sensible and aware.

 

[rainynights]

This sounds absolutely terrifying. Thoughts and prayers with the families and first responders.

 

[SouthAussie]

This sounds absolutely terrifying. Thoughts and prayers with the families and first responders.

The NZ first responders were incredible. We are seeing video of one of the evacuation helicopters having to leave two of the responders alone on the hot island for a while as they airlifted victims away. The two responders just kept packing up their equipment (and were probably hoping that the chopper got back to get them very quickly).

 

[they'll get you]

This is White Island’s eruption in 2000



This is how the volcano has laid dormant.


This island was made from a volcano, it is a volcano.

 

[they'll get you]

And life goes on.....

Current position of Ovation of the Seas:
Under way from Tauranga to Wellington

• Departure was 19 hrs 5 min ago. (at 18:00 h local time)
• Arrival will be in 17 hrs 55 min. (at 07:00 h local time)

Current position Ovation of the Seas Ship's position

 

[they'll get you]

This sounds absolutely terrifying. Thoughts and prayers with the families and first responders.

On a positive side there was no tsunami.

 

[they'll get you]

Scientists warn New Zealand's devastating White Island volcano eruption could trigger deadly landslides and TSUNAMIS as they brand tourist trips there 'a disaster waiting to happen'
Chris Elders, professor of Geology at Curtin University's School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, said the ash belching out from Volcano Whakaari could trigger a downpour of rain.

Ash particles thrown up into the atmosphere are good at attracting and collecting water droplets in clouds, resulting in heavy rain after an eruption.

This in turn could cause unstable rock, which formed immediately after the eruption, to be washed down the sides of the volcano in a landslide, with potentially fatal consequences for both rescue workers and the tourists who are still on the island.

'It's still not safe for rescue workers to land on the island,' Professor Elders said
New Zealand's White Island volcano eruption 'could trigger deadly landslides and TSUNAMIS' | Daily Mail Online